


Back 2 U

by Bandoms_only



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: M/M, No Smut, Polygamy, Threesome - M/M/M, kun appears briefly, so does mark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-23
Updated: 2018-04-24
Packaged: 2019-04-07 00:59:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14069454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bandoms_only/pseuds/Bandoms_only
Summary: Before SM, Ten was just an ordinary boy with a passion for dancing. He didn’t expect that one day he would be in a polygamous relationship with two extremely beautiful and talented people, but there was still something missing.





	1. Chapter 1

Before SM, Ten was just an ordinary boy with a passion for dancing. He didn’t expect that one day he would be in a polygamous relationship with two extremely beautiful and talented people, but there was still something missing.

Ten always felt like he was intruding on the relationship Taeyong and Jaehyun had built, and despite all they did to make him feel otherwise, he was still insecure. It didn’t help that Taeyong had recently been giving all his attention Jaehyun alone. Ten would never admit aloud he was jealous, but he couldn’t help that feeling inside. This didn’t mean he felt malicious towards Jaehyun, in fact he was happy that the younger was being loved, however he wanted some of that love too. Was that so wrong? For a while, Ten had been distancing himself from the two; although they would spare him the odd worrying glance, neither made the effort to console him, and that made Ten feel worthless. Many nights were spent, crying himself to sleep hoping that no one would hear the muffled sobs, while also hoping someone would notice his pain. Multiple times Ten thought about quitting the relationship and trying to forget them, but each thought went as quickly as they came, feeling weak to the smiles and gaze of the two.

After the debut of NCT U with The 7th Sense, the group didn’t go any further with comebacks for NCT Dream and NCT 127 taking priority. This separated Ten further from his partners even more than they already seemed to be. Lucky, he was too preoccupied with Hit The Stage, he was unable to feel the distance as much as he thought he would. Maybe this was also due to the fact he was getting praise from his partners (and the members) on how well he was doing, so he felt a part of them again. But all good things come to end, and sadly this did too, the success of Cherry Bomb taking them further apart than thought possible. Ten had never felt more alone, spending most of his time on SNS trying to distract himself. Everywhere he looked, he was met with photos of Jaeyong ‘The Power Couple’, or #LeeFamily, Jaeyong with their ‘love child’ Mark. The surgery for his knee came as a blessing in disguise, using this time to break away without it looking like he was ignoring the two. Over his period alone, he thought of all the ways he could break up with them that would bring the least heartbreak, but he couldn’t help but wonder whether the others would even feel broken over the split like he was guaranteed to be. By the time he came back, he had two letters neatly written with an apology, however the commotion that the two caused over him, tending to his every need, made him forget his plan. Ten had quickly disposed of the letters and felt guilty about even writing them.

Ten felt their love story would end there, and they would all live happily ever after; nothing lasts forever. Taeyong and Jaehyun slipped back into their own little bubble. Ten found refuge in Johnny, one of the only people in the group who knew how he was feeling, but Johnny was also in NCT 127, so he couldn’t be there for Ten as much as he wanted to be. Yukhei, or Lucas, was Ten’s saving grace. The two spent most of their time together, where there was Ten, there was Lucas and vice versa. He finally had someone to lean on other than Johnny and he felt relieved. Although Lucas was younger than him and gave off a childish aura, he was very mature when he needed to be, showing Ten a side of him that was rarely seen. Lucas and Ten had each other, and Ten no longer felt alone.

Unbeknownst to Ten, two people were feeling very jealous of the interactions between the two. Jaehyun and Taeyong were confused as to why Ten was spending all his time with Lucas, both immediately assuming the worst. The demeanour of the two changed drastically, but the only ones who faced their wrath were the other members of NCT 127. With the preparations for NCT 2018 drawing near, Jaehyun and Taeyong tried to squeeze in as much time with Ten as possible, but it was like the gods were against them. When Ten was available, they both had their own obligations and when they were free, Ten had his own priorities.

NCT 2018 provided lots of opportunities for Ten, doing modelling here and there. When he heard he was getting his own duet with another member, he was excited. Part of him hoped that it would be with Lucas, as the young rapper was improving rapidly and had great potential. But another part of him also hoped it would be with Taeyong or Jaehyun. Although it seemed like he was preoccupied with Lucas, he missed the two deeply and wished he could spend more time with them. But he understood the duties of an idol, especially Taeyong since he was the leader of all NCT. Learning that his duet was with Taeyong, Ten felt ecstatic and he couldn’t wait. Even though Jaehyun wasn’t involved, he thought the duet would bring him closer to the two he’d been disconnected from.

On the other hand, Taeyong was both ecstatic and nervous. He felt blessed that he could be closer to one of his boyfriends, but at the same time, he was wondering what it would be like to be with Ten after all this time. Taeyong couldn’t remember the last time he was with Ten alone, and this made him aware of how far they’d grown apart. After hearing he would duet with Ten, he took refuge in his shared room with Johnny, only allowing Jaehyun to talk to him. On the other side of the door, Ten felt like Taeyong was trying to avoid him, and it made his heart hurt. He didn’t know that Taeyong and Jaehyun were only trying to come up with a plan to make it up to Ten for abandoning him. Ten considered asking to do the duet with someone else or suggesting that Jaehyun should do it with Taeyong instead, but both Lucas and Johnny convinced him not to.

Ten didn’t know how this was going to go, but he was willing to try. He just hoped everything would be all right in the end.


	2. Chapter 2

Ten was walking down the corridor to where he was going to meet Taeyong. He felt nervous about what was to come, since it had been a long time since he was in a room alone with Taeyong. On his way he got a text from Johnny and Lucas in the group chat:

**Ten Protection Squad**

**Johnny:** Have you got there yet?

**Lucas:** GOOD LUCK HYUNG!

**Ten:** Thank you

**Ten:** and I’m walking down now

**Johnny:** Make sure you tell him what’s going on

**Ten:** I can’t just come out and say it

**Lucas:** Sure you can

**Johnny:** You have to tell him before things get worse

**Ten:** What if he breaks up with me?

**Johnny:** trust me, he’s not gonna break up with

**Johnny:** just be honest

**Ten:** Okay

**Ten:** I’m there now, so I’ll tell you to how it went

With the encouragement, Ten pushed open the door to the studio. Taeyong was not there yet, so he used that time to breath and recollect his thoughts. While he was trapped in his thoughts, Taeyong entered the studio; an awkward tension filled the room. To an outsider, it would look like they weren’t even friend, let alone boyfriends. Ten quietly greeted Taeyong.

 

“Hey,” he said while bowing. Taeyong was baffled by the action. Why was his own boyfriend bowing?

 

“Hey, how have you been?” Taeyong cursed himself for sounding formal, or at least what felt formal in his mind.

 

“I’m good, you?”

 

“I’m fine. I’ve missed you.” He wanted Ten to know how he felt without being too forward.

 

“Oh… I’ve missed you too.” A pregnant pause. “Should we get started?”

 

“Yeah, yeah sure.”

 

Both moved forward to sit, Ten choosing to sit opposite from Taeyong, which made the other’s heart clench. Clearing his throat, Taeyong started to lay out his ideas for the what could be included in their performance. Ten just bobbed his head along in agreement, not wanting to upset or annoy the other, carefully adding in his own contributions. During the session, Tae stayed focused on Ten’s face trying to lock eyes with him, but the other skilfully avoided contact. By the end, they had a solid routine planned and had started piecing the ideas together.

Ten immediately reached for his bag, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Startled, he turned to face Taeyong who still had his hand placed on Ten’s shoulder. “I-I...”

 

“Is everything okay hyung?”

 

“Yeah, I just wanted to say…” Ten raised an eyebrow, “Well done today” Taeyong cringing at how awkward he sounded.

 

“Oh well, thank you. You too.” Ten smiled. “Anyway, I should get going,” Ten reached for his bag again. He made it to the door when Taeyong called out for him again.

 

“I-I, uh. I was just wondering if you’d like to go out sometime? You know with Jaehyun and I,” Taeyong hoped his voice came out clear, he had never felt this nervous feeling around Ten since asking him to join the relationship.

Frozen in his spot, Ten didn’t know how to respond. Of course, he had wished to spend some alone time with them, but after waiting for so long, he had given up. Taeyong’s voice startled him back into reality, “you don’t have to if you don’t want to,” Taeyong said sheepishly, “it’s just we missed you and wanted to spend some time with you.”

 

“No, I was just shocked that’s all. I thought you both would be busy, but I would love to.”

 

“Great, erm… Friday at 8pm sound good?”

 

“Oh yeah, sure. Where should I meet you?”

 

“Don’t worry about that, just dress casual in something comfy and we’ll come get you.”

 

“Okay, I’ll see you Friday.” Ten smiled.

 

“Yeah see you Friday.”

 

As Ten left the room, he couldn’t help the smile that grew on his face. Usually when the three went out, it was easy since they just looked like a group of friends to the public, and despite the odd fan asking for a picture or autograph, they were mostly left to their own devices. Over the past few years, they started doing one on one dates, but that all came to a stop with the success of NCT 127. Although excited, the further away he walked from the room, the more the nerves started to kick in until dread finally set. Scrambling to get out of the building, Ten grabbed his phone calling the first person who came to mind.

 

“Hello?”

 

“Tern…”

 

“Chittaphon? What’s up, is everything okay?”

 

“Tern, I don’t know what to do.” Ten’s voice was trembling. One would think Johnny or Lucas would be the first people he would call, but Ten always found talking to his younger sister soothing. His family knew of his sexuality and were very supportive, but when they heard of the arrangement Ten had gotten himself in, they were sceptical as to how it would work. More worried about how Ten would feel if things didn’t work as planned. Taeyong and Jaehyun meeting his parents when they went to Thailand helped calm their qualms, but that didn’t mean they weren’t keeping a close eye over their son.

When Ten started feeling excluded from the relationship, he confided in his sister because he knew, despite her young age, that she would give him useful advice and not jump into protective mode like his parent. Ten may not have been the youngest, but he was the family baby everyone cherished and wanted to protect. He kept Tern update on all things JaeTenYong, so she was automatically the first person he wanted to speak to.

Ten was headed back to the dorms trying to stop himself from having a panic attack with all the thoughts whirling around in his head. He tried to listen to Tern’s voice of reason, but things had been going so bad that he doubted Friday would bring any good.

 

“Chittaphon, you need to relax. You don’t even know what’s going to happen on Friday so just breath.” Tern reasoned. “For all you know they could have an elaborate plan to get you back. Don’t stress yourself out too much, you don’t want a repeat of what happened last time.”

 

“… you’re right, I’m sorry.”

 

“You don’t have to be sorry, just take a breather.”

 

“Yeah, I will. I’ve reached the dorm now, so I’ll speak to you later.”

 

“Speak to later.”

As soon as he entered the dorm, he was met with questioning gazes. Johnny and Lucas were waiting for him, and the further he stepped into the room, the more intense their gazes became. Tired of the silence, Johnny raised an eyebrow, “Well…”

Not knowing how to respond, Ten stayed silent. With a grunt, Lucas grabbed Ten by the arm dragging him into the room Ten had for himself, Johnny following closely behind. Lucas immediately shoved Ten on the bed to sit hovering over him while Johnny closed the door for privacy.

 

The three were in silence, “Don’t make me drag it out of you”

 

“We talked about this in the car remember. Patience,” Johnny reminded Lucas

 

Ten blinked owlishly before clearing his throat, “We j-just worked on the song and the routine…”

 

“and?” Lucas prompted, “What else happened?”

 

“He… he erm, he asked me out on a date with him and Jaehyun on Friday” Ten mumbled

 

“See! I told you he wasn’t going to dump you”

 

“Yeah, but there’s still time.” Ten whined, “They could be inviting me out to dump me away from the eyes of everyone else.” Johnny and Lucas scoffed. “Or they could be acting considerate by giving me one last date before letting me go.”

The duo had heard enough. They knew Ten was insecure, but they didn’t really know it was to this extent. Tears had started to gather in Ten’s eyes and it wasn’t long before they slowly made their way down his face. Johnny and Lucas both sat down on either side of Ten as his whimpers turned into sobs. They were lucky no one else was in the dorm, or it would have raised questions the three were not prepared to answer.

 

Ten fell asleep on Lucas’ shoulder amid his sobs, he was so emotionally drained, it was affecting him physically. He woke up to soft knocks on his bedroom door. Sleepily he checked his surroundings, confused as to when he went to bed, last thing he remembered was talking to Johnny and Lucas. The knocks on his door persisted, and he finally got up with a soft, “coming.”

Mark was standing on the other side of the door, he wanted to call Ten for dinner with the rest of the boys. All 18 members decided to eat together over pizza, choosing Ten’s dorm since Johnny didn’t want to wake him, feeling he needed the deserved rest. Mark volunteered to wake him, although Johnny and Lucas were hesitant, they agreed. Even though, as of recent, Mark barely spent any time with Ten, he noticed a change in the other’s behaviour and wanted to cheer him up. He wouldn’t push his hyung to tell him what was wrong, but he wanted to get his close relationship with him back. “I came to call you for dinner,” Mark smiled.

 

“Oh, thank you,” Ten grinned. “What are we having?”

 

“Pizza”

 

“Cool, just let grab my hoodie and I’ll meet you out there.”

 

Okay.”

 

Ten quickly went to grab the item not wanting to keep the others waiting. Mark was waiting for him when he exited the room. “I know we’ve not spent much time together lately, but I want you to know I’m always here for you hyung.”

 

Ten cooed, “Thank you Mark.” He hugged him, “I really appreciate it.”

 

The two swiftly went to join the others who had left a space for them. Mark clung onto Ten not wanting to separate from him, he was going to use the time to spend as much of it with Ten, even if he technically had to share it with the others. Taeyong and Jaehyun had left a space for Ten between them, as had Johnny and Lucas, but neither factored in Mark who had suddenly decided to act clingy.

 

“Hey babe, we saved you a space here,” Jaehyun grinned.

 

“No, I’m not letting hyung go,” Mark insisted.

 

“Well you two can sit beside us” Johnny chipped in, Lucas agreeing.

 

“How about the three of you shut it, and let Ten sit with his partners,” Taeyong growled.

 

Johnny was ready to fight back, so to avoid any problems Ten interrupted, “I can just sit on the floor in between you and Jae, then Mark can sit on my left with John and Xuxi on my right. How does that sound?”

Reluctantly the two elders agreed not wanting to cause any more trouble, but you could still see the tension there. “Wow I feel so loved,” Ten joked to make light of the situation. Luckily it worked as some of the members chuckled. Johnny and Taeyong were still glaring at each other but sharp look in Ten’s eyes made them stop and send a soft smile Ten’s way.

Johnny and Ten had been best friends since pre-debut and he always felt like Ten was just a small boy who needed protecting. He witnessed Ten falling in love with Jaeyong and begin heartbroken when he felt like hopeless. Johnny had been a part of all the good and bad with Ten. Seeing Ten broken hurt Johnny, especially when he couldn’t do anything to make it better. But with the case of Taeyong and Jaehyun, he was able to do something to keep Ten happy; if that ultimately meant keeping him away from them then he was prepared to do it.

Taeyong was frustrated and angry at Johnny, he had a feeling the older was trying to keep Ten away from them and his actions from earlier proved that. He didn’t know what the other’s intentions were, but so long as it interfered with him and Jaehyun getting back Ten (although they hadn’t lost him yet), he didn’t appreciate them. He could sense Ten trying to keep everyone happy with his compromise; although he wasn’t fully satisfied, he accepted because he didn’t want to make Ten upset and his heart warmed with the soft smile Ten gave them.

Dinner went smoothly after the tension left the air, everyone enjoying the food, sharing funny stories and just relaxing. Throughout, Taeyong had been running his fingers through Ten hair, as short as it was, and Jaehyun had a warm relaxing hand on his shoulder, softly kneading every so often. Johnny and Taeyong had calmed considerably and were even joking with one another, everything was going well. Ten just hoped Friday would go this smoothly as well.


	3. Chapter 3

Friday had finally come and Ten was freaking out. The week had gone by smoothly; Ten and Taeyong had finished the routine, surprisingly quick with the help of Ten’s hyung from _Hit The Stage_ , and they were just polishing up some of the moves. Having been preoccupied, Ten had forgotten all about the date. A text sent from Jae and Tae reminded him, and both parties seemed excited. Ten already had his outfit planned, so getting ready was not an issue, or even the issue. Dread was starting to set in, and even though he had been the one asked out, he couldn’t help but feel something bad was going to come out of the day.

Pushing all those feelings aside, Ten went to the living room to watch some tv and calm his nerves. Lucas and Kun were engaged in a drama that was playing, so Ten quietly sat beside Lucas trying not to disturb. Lucas noticed a shift beside him and gazed to his side to see Ten. He sensed Ten nerves and placed a loving arm around behind Ten to bring him into a cuddle. Ten appreciated the notion and snuggled deeper into Lucas’ side. Kun glanced behind him from where he was lounged on the floor and gave the two a soft smile.

The three sat like this until there was a knock on the door. Kun went to answer, while Ten and Lucas separated stretching their limbs. Jaehyun came in with a big bouquet of flowers, “Hey,” he smiled. “These are for you, I hope you like them.”

 

“They’re lovely, thank you” Ten dipped his head shyly.

 

The two were enjoying their moment when Lucas disrupted, “Where’s Taeyong hyung?”

 

“He’s bringing the car. Tae managed to convince manager hyung to let us borrow his car,” Jaehyun grinned proudly. “He should be here any minute. We were supposed to come get you together, but I couldn’t wait,” a rosy blush forming on Jaehyun and Ten’s cheeks.

Taeyong’s head popped round the door, which Kun swore he closed. Recognising his confusing, Tae silently waved his own key with a smile. “Are you ready to go?”

 

“Yeah, j-just let me put these in water.”

 

“It’s okay,” Kun piped up. “I’ll do it for you, go enjoy yourself.”

 

“Thanks, hyung,” Ten beamed. “I’m ready”

 

“Great, let’s go,” said Jaehyun. Taeyong ran ahead to open the door to the backseat for Ten and Jaehyun, while Jaehyun linked his arm with Ten’s. Being with the both only made Ten more nervous, but the soft squeeze of Jaehyun’s arm made him relax.

Taeyong and Jaehyun planned to take Ten to his favourite bakery in a secluded part of town. Ten had spent most of his time there during pre-debut days when thing became too overwhelming, so he was very close with the owners. They were the first people in Korea he told about his dilemma with Jae and Tae. It came out by accident, but the couple never judged Ten. Instead they took him as their own and treated him like a son. While planning the date, Jae and Tae remembered how excited Ten was to show them the place. He let them into an intimate place in his life and from then on, some of their greatest moments were spent in that bakery.

Ten’s eyes lit up in joy when he recognised the building. It had been so long since he had been, too busy with practice, and trying to prove himself worthy to be in NCT. The owners noticed Ten the second he stepped foot in their establishment; the ahjumma letting out a tiny squeal. She rushed from behind the counter to hold Ten in a tight embrace, whispering a quiet, “I missed you.” During their moment, the ahjussi came out from the back and gave the other two a quick hug welcome. The bakery was empty, which was expected considering the time. Normally the bakery would have been closed, but Jaehyun had convinced them to stay open a little later for the surprise for Ten. Lucky the owners loved Ten so much, it was not a problem. Once the woman let go of Ten, the three of them took a seat in their regular booth at the back. They sat in a comfortable silence, Taeyong and Jaehyun were watching Ten as he marvelled at the scenery he missed dearly.

 

 

Ten went back to the dorms a happy man. The date went great and he had never felt this good before. Ten finally felt more secure in his relationship with Taeyong and Jaehyun; he wanted nothing more than to as much as time with them as possible, before they could potentially get separated. There wasn’t anywhere Jaehyun or Taeyong went that you couldn’t find Ten. Although Taeyong and Jaehyun were happy with the improvement in their relationship, the two couldn’t keep up with the other’s enthusiasm and constant presence. Both were exhausted from endless rehearsals, and barely had any time for themselves, let alone one another.

Ten was aware of the amount of pressure both boys were feeling and wanted to make them feel better. He had gone down to the bakery to pick up their favourite cakes and was heading to their dorm, when he got a text from Johnny informing him of Tae and Jae’s arrival. Not wanting to waste any time, Ten hurried to the dorm being careful not to damage the cakes. Once he entered, before he could ask, Johnny pointed to Jae’s room where the two were relaxing. Ten gave a nod of thanks heading towards the room. He had raised his hand to knock when he heard Jaehyun’s voice, “… I know, but he’s probably just excited for the comeback. It has been a long time.”

 

He heard Taeyong groan, “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean he was to be so clingy all the time.”

 

“Tae…”

 

“What! It’s true. Don’t get me wrong, I love Ten but I wish he would just leave me alone and give me some space.” A pause. “Is it only me?”

 

“No… I feel the same too.”

 

Tears brimming in his eyes, Ten dropped the bag on the floor rushing out of the dorm. Johnny, who had witnessed everything tried to stop him, but Ten quickly escaped his grasp. Taeyong came out of Jae’s room confused by the noise. He noticed a bag on the floor and when he looked up Johnny gave him a disappointed look, “I hope you’re happy. I think you’ll finally get your wish.”

 

Baffled, Taeyong picked up the bag and looked inside, letting out a small gasp. Jae peaked out, “What’s wrong? What happened?”

 

“I think I made a big mistake.”

 

On top of the box of cake, Ten had written a note. The simplicity of it warmed the boys heart, and a guilty feeling crashed over them. They both rushed to their phones trying to call Ten, but neither could get through. Taeyong and Jaehyun spent the rest of the night texting and phoning Ten, but received nothing but silence. Both had messed up, and they knew it would take more than an apology to fix things.

 

Ten felt so stupid and humiliated. All he wanted was to be the best boyfriend he could possibly be, and he never felt more like a failure than now. He knew he was acting quite clingy, but that was only because he missed them and wanted things to go back to the way they were. Guess not. With tears streaming down his face, Ten held back his sobs, and searched for the letters he wrote. Ten clutched his chest in pain, as the emotionally distress he was feeling manifested physically, making it feel as though his heart was truly breaking. He never thought that he would have to look at these letters again, having hidden them far out of sight, but now it was time for him to face reality. His phone was switched to silent and left in the corner of his room, he couldn’t bear to look in case he crumbled at any apologise Taeyong and Jaehyun may have left, that’s if they even cared. Ten knew he had to do this, there was no turning back.


	4. Chapter 4

It had been so long since Ten was in Korea. As he stepped of the plane, he took in a breath of the air he had been once accustomed to. Ten had spent the past two years in the Thai military, having enlisted after his relationship came to a sharp end. Some may say he overacted, but Ten couldn’t stand to be in a room with the two without remembering what they had, and what they could have been. He had thought long and hard about his decision, and with the help of Johnny and Lucas, he finally built up the courage. Although he did not have to take part in the draft, Ten volunteered since it gave him the opportunity to be apart from his ex-lovers, dramatic he knows, but can’t bring himself to care.

After getting his luggage, he saw Johnny and Lucas waiting for him with their manager. He flashed them a bright smile, making his way over, where he was then surprisingly enveloped in a hug by manager hyung. Their manager would never admit aloud, but he had really missed the Thai male. Actions speak louder than words, and Ten was able to feel the emotion behind the embrace. Johnny and Lucas joined the hug with excited “welcome home” and “I missed you”. Both were devastated when Ten decided to leave, but they couldn’t watch his depression from afar whilst being helpless; that’s why they let him go with assurance that it was okay. Now he was back, they were determined to do a better job at protecting him.

On the way back to the dorm, the boys were filling Ten in on all that he had missed. So much, yet so little, had changed. Ten tried his best to take in all the information being thrown at him feeling overwhelmed, but he was content and happy to be back. With everything that was being said, he noticed that John and Lucas were tentatively avoiding the subject of Taeyong and Jaehyun. He waited for them to finish before he called them out, “So how’s Taeyong and Jaehyun?” Even the manager let out a quiet wince.

 

“They’re fine…” Lucas responded.

 

“Just fine?”

 

“Yeah. Why do you ask?” Johnny questioned.

 

“Well it seemed you had much to say about the other members, I just figured you would for them as well.”

 

Johnny flinched, “Well they’re fine. They just… miss you.”

 

“Miss me?” Ten’s brows frowned in confusion. He had left without as much as a goodbye, slipping his break up letters under the door of their bedrooms while they were out promoting ‘Touch’. Since then, he did his best to avoid them, only being in the same room when it was absolutely necessary, and even then he made sure to be on the opposite side of the room. The atmosphere had been so uncomfortable and awkward; Ten didn’t want to be in that kind of situation again. Hearing that they missed him, made him confused but also a little happy. He can’t say he didn’t miss them as well, in fact they were all he thought about in his years away, despite the purpose of him leaving being to forget him. Before either could respond, their manager had pulled up at the dorms. The dorm was dark when they opened they opened the door. As Ten stepped inside, the light suddenly switched on and the members jumped out screaming surprise. He was shocked to say the least, but a warm feeling filled his heart. Tears of joy welled up in his eyes as the members smothered him in hugs and heartfelt “‘welcome home”.

 

Two people watched silently from the corner, hesitant on whether they should approach Ten. For the moment Ten hadn’t noticed either, and they were slightly relieved. Jaehyun and Taeyong, though they stayed together, hadn’t felt whole ever since Ten had left. Both were distraught when they heard Ten had left for the military, only hearing when it was too late to stop him. After Ten broke up with them, they had spent the rest of promotions with painful smiles painted on their faces, having to pretend everything was okay. They wanted to be the ones to greet Ten at the airport when they found out of his arrival, especially Taeyong since he felt that it was primarily his fault Ten left, but Johnny warned that it might not be a good idea. Jae and Tae felt a pang of jealousy over John’s protectiveness, but they understand the situation. If it was the other way around, they would have kept Ten away from them too. Now that Ten was back, they were going do everything they could to woo him back. They just had to get him alone first.

When Jaehyun and Taeyong came out of their thoughts, they were met with the scene of Mark latching onto Ten. No one truly understood how much the younger missed his hyung, but they supposed that was a feeling reserved for Ten and Mark. While hugging Mark, Ten caught eyes with the two behind. There were many emotions swimming behind all three’s eyes and Ten was the first to break contact. Clearing his throat, Taeyong welcomed him first, “Welcome home, it’s good to have you back.”

 

“Thanks, it’s great to be back,” Ten squeezed Mark as the boy clutched on tighter as if his hyung would disappear into thin air.

 

“We missed you… all of us,” Jaehyun added.

 

“I-I missed you guys too… all of you.” There was a hidden meaning behind their words that just couldn’t be ignored, no matter how much Ten tried to. Lucas’ voice interrupted Taeyong’s as he opened his mouth to speak, “Come on guys, let’s celebrate the star of the show before he gets too tired.” Everyone cheered in agreement, and just like that the intimate moment was broken.

The rest of the evening was spent relaxing and enjoying Ten’s presence. He shared stories about his time in the military, and they all told tales of events that happened during his time away. Taeyong and Jaehyun remained silent for the rest of the evening, only watching Ten’s expressions as he listened attentively to story. Their big family was complete and they would make sure nothing tore them apart again.


	5. Chapter 5

After the excitement of Ten’s arrival died down, everyone went back to focusing on their activities. A lot had changed since Ten left, but he was more than willing to practice 24/7 to catch up to the members. So far, he had gone back to vocal training and dance lesson; lucky being in the military didn’t affect any of his skills in the slightest. If anything his dance moves got sharper, yet still keeping his smooth graceful quality.

NCT were set to have a fansign in honour of Ten's comeback. He spent every waking moment rehearsing all the old songs and routines, Ten didn’t want to disappoint those who had waited a long time for him. Johnny and Lucas were a great support. Whenever they were free, they practiced with him so he wouldn’t feel lonely. He hadn’t seen Taeyong and Jaehyun since that night he came, but Ten was too preoccupied to pay any attention to it.  Johnny and Lucas became worried about Ten. Since the male knew of the upcoming fansign, he had been neglecting his health. Ten would wake up in the early hours of the day, head to the studio and practice till early hours of the next morning, only to come home and repeat the same process 2-3 hours later.  They were sure he hadn't been eating properly. So, every time they practiced with him, they would bring food and push Ten to eat. Of course, Ten didn’t realise the damage he was doing to his own body, but he supposes that’s why he was blessed with friends like Johnny and Lucas.

They weren't the only ones to notice what was happening. Taeyong and Jaehyun had been keeping a close eye on Ten, even if they weren’t close to him. They would frequently ask the dreamies about his wellbeing; even give them money to buy Ten’s favourite cakes. As much as they Tae and Jae would have liked to be the ones to fuss over Ten, they respected his space, especially with the abrupt end to their relationship. The more Ten kept up his routine, the more anxious the boys became.

 

Black dots clouded Ten’s vision which made him feel dizzy. He attempted to reach for his water bottle, but before he could grasp it, he collapsed. Taeyong and Jaehyun were headed to the practice room to check on Ten through the door’s window. When neither saw the boy, they looked at each other in confusion.

 

“Isn’t he usually in here at this time?” inquired Jaehyun.

 

“He should be,” Taeyong shrugged. “Maybe he went to get something to eat?” though his tone sounded unsure. “Let’s go in and check.”

 

Jaehyun was the first to notice Ten on floor. He immediately raced to him, trying to shake the male awake. “Ten, can you hear me?!” his voice panicked. Taeyong scrambled for his phone to ring their manager to come as fast as he could. Normally in this situation, one would expect to call an ambulance, but he knew that would draw too much attention putting everyone in too hard a problem to solve. Tears were pouring down Jaehyun’s face as he checked for a beating pulse, only calming when he felt a steady rhythm. Taeyong tried to be strong for the both of them, though he couldn’t help the tears threatening to fall from his eyes.

Once the manager arrived, he carried Ten to the van, advising the others to go back to the dorm and try to relax. As much as he wanted to take them with him, he sensed they wouldn’t be able to keep calm, especially if they discovered something was really wrong. Ten was admitted as soon as they arrived and taken for some tests. Through all the commotion, he still hadn’t awoken but the doctor reassured that he’d be fine, just needing to rest his body having collapsed from exhaustion and malnutrition. The members had been informed of his state, but no one was able to sleep peacefully knowing the implications of it all. Even though it was no one’s fault, they all blamed themselves. Johnny, Lucas, Taeyong and Jaehyun took the news to more to heart than the rest, all believing they could have done more to prevent this from happening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's quite short, but I promise to try and get it finished soon. I'm on holiday now so I can dedicate more time.


	6. Chapter 6

When Ten woke up, he noticed that he was in an unfamiliar room. The nurse who came made him aware of his surroundings due to her uniform. “Oh you’re awake,” she had a bright and soothing smile, “I was just coming to see if you made any progress.”

 

“Excuse me?” The nurse gave a hum of acknowledgment, “Why am I here?”

 

“Well dear, you fainted yesterday around midday I believe due to exhaustion from overworking your body. It also appears you’ve not been eating properly, which added to your body running out of energy, causing you to faint.”

 

All this information was a lot to take in, but the words ‘fainted’ and ‘exhaustion’ stuck out the most. At a point Ten did recognise that he wasn’t being careful with his health, but he didn’t think it had reached this extent. The nurse sensed his weariness, “don’t worry, your friends have been informed and are coming by later today. I’m sure they can fill you in on anything I may have missed.” She came and fluffed his pillow, “try not to stress yourself out too much love.”

 

“Thank you miss,” Ten politely smiled.

 

“Your welcome dear,” and she left the room. Ten looked around the room and let out a long sigh, he was on edge at how the others would be when they came. More specifically, he was anxious of 4 people’s reaction. He figured Johnny and Lucas would carefully and kindly chastise him for abandoning his health. But Taeyong and Jaehyun were a different story. When it came to Ten, Taeyong and Jaehyun were extremely overprotective, always hovering over him watching his every move. The shift and end to their relationship changed this, but Ten knew they were still checking up on him through the Dreamies.

In the midst of his daydream, two people entered the room. The first cleared his throat bringing Ten back into the room, “Hey.”

 

“Hi Taeyong, Jaehyun. How are you guys, is everyone else okay? I hope I’ve not scared anyone and they’re heal-”

 

Jaehyun scoffed, “Unbelievable!” he exclaimed. “You’re here lying in a hospital bed, but you’re still thinking of everyone but yourself!” Ten was shocked at his outburst. In their relationship, Jaehyun was usually the mediator, being the only one to stay calm in any situation. Seeing Jae worked up over him was a new experience, and one that swiftly shut Ten up.

 

“Jae calm down,” Taeyong pipped up. Jaehyun visibly calmed but he continued to grumble under his breath. Taeyong made his way to Ten and sat in the chair beside the bed, “Never mind about everyone else, who are fine by the way. How are you feeling?” He grasped Ten’s hand in his.

Ten melted at the action and tightened his hold on Taeyong, “I’m so sorry.” The moment the word left his mouth, he started to well up, “Good going Tae, you made him cry.” Jaehyun had pulled up a chair and was holding Ten’s other hand. Ten shook his head with a soft chuckle, “No, I’m fine. I’m just disappointed in myself for causing so much trouble, I really didn’t mean to.”

 

“Don’t be stupid,” Taeyong and Jaehyun said at the same time.

 

“Yah! I’m your hyung Jaehyun.”

 

“Okay… don’t be stupid hyung.” The boy had a cheeky smile on his face which made Ten laugh. Soon the others two joined in, Ten’s laugh having a contagious effect.

 

While they were calming down, Taeyong and Jaehyun shared a look. Ten looked between them trying to figure out what was going on, but Taeyong spoke before he could ask. “T-this isn’t really how we wanted to this,” he started.

 

“But I suppose now’s a good a time as ever,” Jaehyun added.

 

“I’m confused, what’s going on?”

 

“Well…”

 

“… we still love you.” Ten’s shock must have been more evident than he thought. “Before you say anything, we’re sorry it took you disappearing for two years for us to realise our mistakes. I took your love for granted and hid so many things from you. But when you left, you took a part of me with you, as cheesy as that sounds, and you’ve had my hearts ever since I first laid eyes on you. You have no idea how jealous I was watching Johnny and Lucas hang out with you, or when Mark would cling to you, and you would let out genuine smiles and laughs. I became mad at myself that I wasn’t the one who could make you smile anymore, and that all I brought was sadness.”

 

Once Jaehyun finished Taeyong started, “Everyday you were gone, I couldn’t stop beating myself up thinking I was the reason you left. Though there may be some truth in that, I’ve been waiting for this day to make it up to you. Our half assed attempt before was pathetic, but you still accepted it with all your heart, only to have it stomped on again. At first when we asked you to be a part of our relationship, it was all fun and games and we thought our fascination with you would disappear. But the more time we spent with you, I spent with you, I realised it was more than that. After you shared your insecurities with us, I wanted nothing more than to protect you. I was heartbroken reading your letter and then you left without even saying goodbye, but I deserved it, and I can only hope you’ll give me another chance to be all that you need. Give us another chance to prove we can be best thing for you.”

 

Ten was speechless. Although he’d been waiting for this moment, he never thought it would come. He had an inkling that their relationship wasn’t really in the beginning, but he put it down to his own paranoia and insecurity. At least he knew he was right. Ten didn’t know if this was what he wanted anymore. He spent the past two years trying to forget them; even though he failed, he was finally starting to feel okay again without them and he didn’t like this feeling of uncertainty that came from the possible rekindling of their romance.

 

His loosening grip on their hands made Taeyong and Jaehyun think they were losing Ten. They believed he was silently rejecting them, having been rendered unable to speak since their mini monologues. Jaehyun started to sniffle, disguising it as a cough, and that’s when Ten spoke up.

 

“Okay”

 

“Okay?” Taeyong looked at him. What was ‘okay’ supposed to mean?

 

“Yeah, okay. I hear what you’re saying, and I-I understand so I accept your apologies.”

 

“Okay… thank you. It means a lot th-”

 

“I’m not finished. I accept your apologies… but I can’t be your boyfriend again, at least not right now.” As much as Ten wanted to, he wasn’t foolish enough to throw himself back into the deep end when he was just learning how to float again. “I want to be with you both, but right now I need to learn to just be your friends. I know you mean well, it’s just a matter of trust and I don’t trust either of you enough anymore to be in a relationship. Maybe if this was two years ago, I would have run with open arm, but I need to be sure I can trust you both before I put myself in this again. I hope you can understand and accept my decision.”

 

Jaehyun squeezed Ten’s hand as he looked deep into his eyes, “Of course we do. I’m just glad you don’t hate us, I know I would and did after what happened.”

 

“I could never hate you, either of you. I love you both so much that it hurts, and that why I need to be just your friend.”

 

“You don’t have to explain yourself,” Taeyong’s hold also tightened. “Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to still be your friend. But just know we’re not going to stop trying to woo you back, this is just going to make us work harder.”

 

Ten let out a slight laugh, “I look forward to it.” The three stayed in their position until Ten was discharged. Taeyong and Jaehyun refused to let Ten’s hand free and Ten secretly basked in the feeling that spread through his heart. For the first time in three years he didn’t want to run and hide, as he watched the two animatedly filled him in on the missed journey of their two years without him. It may not have been where all three of them wished to be in the stage of their relationship, but they were thankful they be together again freely, with no fears or worries.


	7. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally the epilogue is done! :)

For the past two months, Taeyong and Jaehyun showered Ten endlessly with affection. Neither had given up in their pursuit to win Ten back; even making it a competition between themselves to see who could make him blush or be flustered the most. Every morning, Jaehyun woke up early just to buy Ten his favourite coffee, much to Taeyong’s annoyance, and take it to the dorm he shared with the Dreamies. Not wanting to be outshined, Taeyong would bring bread and cakes for him and Ten to share in the practice rooms.

 

Keeping a blank face proved to be difficult for Ten, especially when the boys’ actions made his heart flutter. Since he had been discharged, Taeyong and Jaehyun always made sure he was eating properly and drinking well. As each day went on, it became increasing hard for Ten not to give in to their advances, and just be their boyfriend again.

 

Two people who were left amused by the development were Johnny and Lucas, it seemed to them that two more had joined the ‘Ten Protection Squad’. Johnny was pleased the Taeyong and Jaehyun started to step up regarding their relationship with his best friend. While Ten was away, Johnny had sat them down to have a discussion over what happened the night Ten ran from the dorm. If not for him, Taeyong and Jaehyun may not have fully realised the damage and heartbreak they imposed on Ten. Lucas was just happy to see his hyung smiling again. Ten was like an older brother to him; although Lucas identified with the Chinese line, he and Ten shared the Thai bond and the older always helped him in learning more about aspects of their culture. All Johnny and Lucas could do was hope that Taeyong and Jaehyun wouldn’t make the same mistake again. They may be in one group, but both would be unforgiving if they dared hurt Ten again.

 

NCT had an upcoming mini break over the weekend, and Taeyong and Jaehyun wanted to use that time to make a grand gesture for Ten. After a series of begging, they had managed to rope the members into helping them with their plan. The Dreamies, plus Lucas and Mark (he refused to be apart from Ten), would keep Ten distracted while the NCT U and 127 members would help set up the plan that Jaeyong had conjured up. Meanwhile, Taeyong and Jaehyun rehearsed the song they had written for Ten preparing to sing it for said boy at the end of the night.

 

As cliché as it sounds, Taeyong and Jaehyun had planned for the Dreamies (and Mark and Lucas) to distract Ten with a scavenger hunt that would lead them back to the dorm. The 127 members had gone around the city, putting up clues that would not only lead Ten back to the dorm, but remind him of the memories he shared with Taeyong and Jaehyun. Attached on each clue were photos of their times together starting from the day they first met. With every clue, a fresh batch of tears gathered in Ten’s eyes. Jaemin and Jeno, having noticed, both placed they arms around Ten and the three walked like that the rest of the trail, following behind the others.

 

Ten couldn’t stop the feeling that was growing in his heart at all the memories. Taeyong and Jaehyun had left little messages on each polaroid as a reminder of what they had. Ten could feel his resolve breaking, and by the end of the hunt, he was gravely missing their relationship and ready to accept them back.

 

He let out a little chuckle when he realised they were back were they started: in front of the dorm. Chenle nudged him from behind when Ten stood static in front of the dorm. He looked behind him at the reassuring smiles, before taking a deep breath opening the door. Ten was moving too slow for the other’s liking, so Jisung and Mark pushed him in with yells of ‘have fun!’. Silently cursing them out, Ten could hear Lucas and Chenle laughing, almost as if they were rivalling each other on who could be the loudest.

 

When he finally looked up, the sight marvelled him. Fairy lights lit up the walls with more memories hanging off; not just of Taeyong, Jaehyun and him, but of all his memories with the rest of his members, his family. Jaehyun and Taeyong followed Ten’s every move with their eyes as they patiently waited for him to notice them. They could see the sparkle in Ten’s eyes as he carefully scanned over all the pictures.

 

He lingered longer at the photos of the three of them, but his smile never faded. Finally, his eyes landed on the two, causing them to both gasp from the intensity of the look in Ten’s eyes. All three could see the love flowing in the atmosphere, as they all stood in silence. It almost became a staring contest, but Taeyong couldn’t stand the suspense any longer.

 

“So, do you like it?” Ten could see the anxious demeanour coming off them both, and at his soft growing smile, the tension released as Taeyong and Jaehyun let themselves relax.

 

“I do.” The amount of effort they had put into their plan overwhelmed Ten; the feeling wasn’t one he wanted to escape, but one Ten wanted to embrace and bask in. “Did you really do all this for me?”

 

“Of course! W-we would have done m-more, but this was all we could think of to show how much we love and appreciate you,” Jaehyun pipped up.

 

“Thank you,” Ten blushed. “You really didn’t have to go through all this trouble.”

 

“Don’t be ridiculous. You deserve the world and more, but I hope you can accept what we have to offer.”

 

“… I would like that.” Ten beamed.

 

The rest of the night went by smoothly. Taeyong had made Ten’s favourite Korean dishes, and even attempted to make some Thai ones as well. Jaehyun had helped make dessert: a chocolate cake, with lots of milk cream in the middle and on top. Conversation stayed light throughout the evening, and it felt just like old times. The evening had come to the time Taeyong and Jaehyun would perform for Ten. The two had taken Ten up to the roof where Taeil, Doyoung and Mark were waiting on the makeshift stage. All the other members were there as well on beanbag and cushions they had brought up from the dorm. Lucas and Johnny had saved a space for Ten in between them at the front by the stage.

 

“Mic check, one two, one two.” Ten giggled at Taeyong’s antics. “Well we’re about to perform a song for a very special and beautiful person in audience; you know who you are,” Taeyong winked at Ten.

 

Jaehyun followed, “Erm, this song was written quite a while ago, but now’s a good a time as any to final let the inspiration behind this song know that it’s about him, and to have an intimate performance with all those who love him around.”

 

Taeil and Mark started playing _Angel_ on the guitar, and Ten already had tears brimming in his eyes. Based off today alone, one would assume he was a big cry baby with how many times he’d been brought to tears. While Taeyong or Jaehyun were singing, they would look deeply into Ten’s eyes trying to convey their emotions through the words. By the end, everyone was cheering for an encore, but once settled down, Lucas and Johnny pushed Ten up on the stage.

 

Up until this point, Taeyong and Jaehyun were nervous, but the nerves were bearable. Now that Ten was standing in front of them, their hands started to be become clammy and their hearts began racing faster suddenly losing the ability to speak. Ten looked at them expectantly which prompted Taeyong to speak first.

 

“Ten,” he paused to gather his thoughts. “Ever since you came back from the military, Jaehyun and I had been thinking of ways to try and get you back. Two months ago, we thought we had lost that chance forever, but that all changed when you forgave us despite how awful we’d been. Today, with the help of our family, we finally have the courage to ask you to be ours once again; to give us another chance to be all that you need. Even if you say no, I just want you to know that we won’t stop trying to win you over.” Taeyong looked at Jaehyun.

 

“So, will you be our friend, lover and soulmate again?” Jaehyun asked trembling.

 

There was a long silence, everyone anticipating Ten’s answer. “… yes,” he mumbled.

 

“Sorry you’re going to need to speak up for the people at the back we can’t hear you!” Renjun yelled.

 

“Yes! I said yes! I will be your boyfriend again,” Ten chuckled with amusement. “And I’ll be your friend and soulmate. I’ll be your everything… just yes.” The moment Ten said this, relief washed over the newly reunited couple, and all their members who had watched them suffer through the pain of not being together.

 

 

***1 year time skip***

Taeyong, Jaehyun and Ten’s relationship had been going smoothly. Ever since they got back together, Taeyong and Jaehyun treated Ten like a queen, and made sure he knew how loved he was. Johnny and Lucas had finally learnt to fully trust Taeyong and Jaehyun, they were now confident that they wouldn’t break Ten’s heart. As for the guy himself, he loved the new dynamic of their relationship, and always showed his appreciation for the love he received. NCT were back to the way they were, one big happy family and they lived happily ever after.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed my story :)  
> Sorry for the crappy ending, I just had no clue what to write so yeah... :p


End file.
